Arizona Teens Suspended For Spelling Out Racial Slur In Viral Photo

The teens were taking part in picture day when they used the opportunity to spell "ni**er" with their t-shirts.

A group of high school seniors from Phoenix, Arizona were suspended for spelling out a racial slur and posting it online.

ABC15 Arizonareports six high school seniors from Desert Vista High School were seen in a photo spelling out “nigger.” The photo was taken on the popular social media app Snapchat and posted to Twitter, where it went viral on Friday.

these girls got suspended for 5 days when they should've been expelled. they go to desert vista high school pic.twitter.com/q3Q5UKmh04

Jill Hanks, executive director of community relations for Tempe Union High School District, said in an emailed statement, “We are absolutely aware and outraged by this behavior. The students will be disciplined in accordance with district policy and while we don’t discuss specific discipline I can tell you that will be addressing the obvious need for sensitivity training in this case.”

The letter reads:

We want to let you know we share your outrage and disappointment over the actions of a handful of our students today. We want to make it crystal clear those actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated at Desert Vista. Those actions do not represent who we are as a campus. We can assure you we will discipline these students in accordance with district policy and our student handbook. While we don’t discuss individual discipline, we can tell you that in addition, the obvious need for sensitivity training will be addressed.

Three of the teens reportedly lost scholarships and all were placed on suspension.

A change.org petition has been created to request expulsion for the teens.